Façade
By Cheyne Curry
***
“Are you sure you don’t want to go?” Lily asked Layne, her partner of eight years.
“No, my headache is too bad still.” Layne rubbed her forehead for emphasis.
“You and your freakin’ headaches,” Lily said, in a not-so-nice tone of voice. “Well, just so you know, I love Wendy’s Halloween parties and I’m going without you.”
“Fine. I think you should. You have a better time when I’m not there, anyway,” Layne said, honestly.
Lily took a threatening step toward her. “What are you accusing me of – again, Layne?”
“Nothing. I’m just making a statement of fact. Why are you getting so defensive, Lily, if you don’t have anything to hide?”
“How do you know what I do when I’m not with you unless you spy on me?”
“I don’t need to spy on you. All of our friends tell me how you are when I’m not around.”
“Oh, here we go,” Lily said and rolled her eyes. “I am so out of here. Do whatever you want but I’m going to have a good time.” Lily grabbed her mask off the hall table and left, slamming the door behind her.
“I’m sure you will,” Layne said quietly and the closed door. Layne didn’t really have a headache; she had a plan that was now time to put into place.
***
Every year, Wendy Elroy threw what she called her Hellacious Halloween Happening. She was an eccentric, elderly lesbian and the gay community’s unofficial “mayor.” She owned a huge mansion where she held all of her seasonal soirees and this one was always the event of the year. It was a party where everyone was required to show up in full costume and not tell anyone who was who. She even insisted that participants disguise their voices, if necessary. At exactly midnight, everyone would be required to unmask themselves. Although all attendees were supposed to be members of the gay community, occasionally a few straight partiers sneaked in. After a rather interesting incident, a few years earlier, where one of the hetero party crashers found himself in bed with a delicate, feminine gay man in a sexy, vinyl Storm from X-Men costume, it became an annual reminder that if you hooked up at this party before midnight, you took responsibility for your own actions.
If what happened at Wendy’s, stayed at Wendy’s, the parties might not be as legendary but even the people who swore they’d never return to another Halloween bash always showed up the next year. It was at last year’s costume party where Layne heard about how badly Lily had behaved without her there. When she questioned her partner about it, Lily made her feel so crummy for bringing it up that she dropped it. Layne had suspected, however, that their flame had begun to die long before Lily got the seven-year itch.
Layne brought up their relationship issues more than once and was rewarded by being called a nag, suspicious and paranoid. She even suggested a trial separation but Lily refused, even though they had become more like roommates with occasional benefits than the loving couple they had been in their first few years. The last year, especially, the benefits were less and less as they became more distant. Layne realized she wanted out and knew the only way Lily would let her go was that if Layne caught her blatantly cheating. She was tired of being told that she was lucky to have Lily and that no one else would want her. She had reached the point where she would rather be alone than with someone and lonely.
Layne went to her bathroom, showered, removed her female Captain Jack Sparrow costume from its hiding place and put it on. She liked the way she looked in it. The mini-dress was a crushed velvet material in royal blue over a cream-colored satin petticoat with a matching sash. She buckled the second of two belts over her slim waist and slid the plastic sword in its scabbard. She tied the maroon paisley bandanna around her forehead over the mid-back length, wavy black wig, slid her knee-high cuffed pirate boots on and checked herself out in the mirror one last time. She had a white mask to go with it and an eye patch if she felt she needed it. The ensemble showed off all of her physical attributes, more than a little skin and it was the perfect disguise. It had been so long since she dressed this sexy, she forgot how liberating it felt. Certainly, it was an outfit Lily would never suspect she’d wear and Layne could go to the party undetected by her partner.
If she were going to be accused of being suspicious and spying, she figured she might as well be suspicious and spy.
***
The party was in full swing when she arrived. Layne had her mask on sans the eye patch and she received what she guessed to be many appraising glances if the way her admirers’ heads moved was any indication. She nodded at everyone and made her way to the open bar where all the drinks were Halloween-themed. She picked up what she hoped was a chilled glass of white wine. The wine glasses were drizzled with “blood” which was really a mixture of corn syrup and red food coloring. Other proffered drinks had what appeared to be eyeballs and brains in them and although they were probably tasty, the content was unappetizing. She would have normally gone right for a beer but she wanted to give no clues to who she might really be, just in the remotest off-chance that Lily were on the lookout for her.
Even as large and as spread out as the party was, it didn’t take Layne long to spot Lily. Layne stood leaning against a wall, sipping on her wine, watching her partner work the room. Lily was a natural flirt so that part didn’t bother her but the way she moved told Layne that she had already had enough to drink to relax her.
She observed Lily in her skin-tight, leather Catwoman attire (the Michelle Pfeiffer version). As much as her partner annoyed her of late, Layne couldn’t deny that Lily certainly had the body to wear such a seductive costume. Her partner’s obsession with working out paid off on a night like tonight where she could show off her enviably fit and supple form.
Layne finished her wine and replaced her empty glass with a full one on a passing tray. All wait staff was dressed in French maid costumes, including the men. Another server walked up to Layne, holding a tray of hors d’oeuvres. She stopped in front of Layne who selected a crab Rangoon and a mini olive tapenade bruschetta. After the server left, Layne returned her attention to Lily. She was enjoying the strong flavor of the bruschetta when she stopped in mid-chew. Lily’s hand was on the breast of what looked to be a pretty full-bosomed Renaissance wench, and the wench copped a feel back. Someone dressed like a matador came up behind Lily and slid her hands around Lily’s waist and kissed her on her leather-covered neck. Although Lily did not kiss the woman back, she stayed in the woman’s arms and allowed the woman to maneuver her backward to the dance floor. When Lily turned in the matador’s arms, they ground their bodies together in a sensuous dance that made Layne’s mouth water. She remembered when Lily danced with her like that and then became angry because Lily shouldn’t have been dancing with anyone like that except her.
She made her way through vampires, werewolves, Jedi Knights, cops, gladiators, cowboys, Greek gods, soldiers and many other costumes until she was at the edge of the dance floor. When she spotted her partner again, the matador had lifted the clear mask that slightly distorted the lower half of Lily’s face and was kissing her. Deeply.
I knew it. I just fucking knew it! Layne marched onto the dance floor toward Lily and stopped when she saw Lily push the matador away, pull her mask back down and wag her finger at her. Lily turned to walk away and stopped when she saw Layne. Shit. She knows it’s me. No. She can’t know it’s me. I wouldn’t even know it’s me. Lily’s eyes blatantly traveled up and down Layne’s body and Layne swore Lily licked her lips. This is about to get very interesting.
Layne took a deep breath and moved seductively toward Lily, making sure she walked in a manner that was unlike her usual stride. She stood in front of her partner and boldly held her hand out. Lily took it and gently tugged her further onto the dance floor, leaving the matador insulted and gaping. The song had a pulsating beat and instead of matching the rhythm with dance moves, Lily pulled Layne to her and swayed slowly to a beat in her own mind. At first, Layne was stiff with anger but then she reminded herself to relax and when she did, her body melted into the taller, stronger one holding her. It suddenly felt like old times and the situation brought tears to Layne’s eyes. Thankfully, the music was loud enough that Lily couldn’t hear her sniffle.
They danced slowly to several more songs with Lily’s touches becoming more intimate each time. Layne was incensed that Lily would so behave so brazenly with someone who wasn’t her yet Layne let the pawing continue because, after all, it was territory Lily had already – unknowingly - traversed. During a small break, Lily retrieved them drinks, they danced some more and Lily made her move.
“I have a little proposition for you, if you’re interested,” Lily whispered in Layne’s ear after another slow song ended.
“What’s that?” Layne asked, speaking in a breathy voice, higher than her normal register and putting on a fake British inflection.
“Let’s go find one of the bedrooms. You’re driving me crazy.” Lily’s voice was still a whisper.
Layne was incensed and wanted to reveal her identity to Lily right there. But there was still that uncertainty that Lily may have known it was her and was toying with her. No, Lily wouldn’t play this game with me, she’d be pissed that I showed up without telling her and accuse me of spying on her. I’ll keep up this façade as long as she does. “Aren’t you here with someone?”
“Oh, God, are you British? Jesus, I love that accent,” Lily continued to whisper in her ear. “No, I’m not with anyone but I really want to be with you.” She stepped away and held out her hand.
Layne took it and Lily led her upstairs to one of the empty bedrooms. Lily locked the door behind them. She found Layne in the dark, removed her mask and brought their lips together in a searing kiss. It had been so long since Lily kissed her with such passion that it took her breath away. Lily continued to kiss her with a hunger Layne had not experienced in her before. By the time they made it to the bed, Lily had unbuckled Layne’s belts, untied the sash and pulled the Velcro strips apart that held the costume together. Lily’s hands were everywhere and touched all the right places to make her respond. Layne’s anger became ardor in the frenzied desire that drove them both. First Lily’s mouth then her long fingers pushed Layne to explode in multiple orgasms.
The room was still so dark that even after her eyes had become accustomed, Layne could only see her partner clear enough to decipher that she had not removed her Catwoman cap mask. She was undecided as to whether that pleased or frustrated her because the more Layne had thought about what just happened, the more betrayed and confused she felt.
She was profoundly hurt that Lily couldn’t work up that kind of passion for her anymore, that Lily couldn’t touch her in that manner that made her feel so desirable. Maybe it was the perceived anonymity of it that turned Lily on. Or…maybe it was what she had begun to think of late, that Lily just didn’t find her attractive anymore. Out of respect, the least Lily could do was wait until they were at least separated or completely apart until she decided to go out and have meaningless sex with a total stranger.
“Are you okay?” Lily asked, once again, her voice a whisper in her ear.
Layne tried to speak but words failed her. Her body was still recovering from the powerful cluster of climaxes and her emotions were too bruised to form sentences.
“Fifteen minutes until midnight!” The announcement was called out several times so that no one would miss the news that the big unveiling was upon the guests.
Lily sighed and moved off Layne and off the bed. “I’ll meet you outside.”
“Wait -!” Layne heard the door close. She slowly sat up, dressed herself and wept. She didn’t think the truth of Lily’s infidelity would hit her so hard.
***
Layne had not stayed for the unmasking. She left though a back door and drove home. A sadness had enveloped her that she couldn’t shake. When she got home she removed her costume, put it away and showered the remnants of the evening’s activities off. She dressed for bed and waited for Lily to arrive home.
She had fallen asleep on the couch when the front door closing, awakened her. Lily stopped and looked at Layne curiously. She had her costume in her hand. “What are you doing up? I thought you’d be in bed. Guess your headache got better.” Lily’s tone was amiable, almost affectionate.
It took all Layne had in her not to jump up and slap Lily across the face. “How was the party?”
Lily shrugged. “Okay.” She walked to the hall closet and put her costume away in a box.
“Just okay? Really?” Layne was trying not to bite off every word. “Meet anyone new?”
“No, I didn’t.” Lily closed the door and turned around to face Layne, who was now on her feet. “Why the questions?”
“I’m just wondering. I couldn’t go and I wanted to know how it was. You said you have a better time without me so since I wasn’t there, it makes me wonder why you just had an okay time.”
“No, actually, you said that, not me.” Lily walked to the kitchen and took a bottle of water out of the refrigerator. Layne followed. “But, if you really must know, I walked into the party and right into a fight between Debby and Cate. And then the police came and hauled out two homophobic party crashers who were determined to cause problems and it put me in a bad mood. So I went out to the guesthouse with Shelly, Jean, Pat and Bonnie and played poker all night. I had much more fun.”
“What?” Layne’s eyes were large. “But…your costume…”
“I lent it to Dru Patterson. She’s that café owner that just started a business in town. She didn’t have time to find a costume and we’re the same size, so…”
“D-Dru P-Patt…” Layne thought she was going to faint.
“Yeah. Remember? We stopped in for coffee there a few weeks ago? She’s pretty gorgeous and the costume must have worked for her because she said she got lucky with a pretty hot pirate.”
Layne couldn’t speak. Dru Patterson was an extremely attractive soft butch who caught the eye of every lesbian in town when she opened her business less than a month earlier. Layne felt paralyzed as the ramifications of her own behavior hit her.
Lily passed her and stopped to study Layne’s expression. “What’s wrong with you? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I’m, uh, fine…” Her thoughts went back to the multiple orgasms she’d had hours earlier. By Dru Patterson. She closed her eyes.
“You sure?”
“Yes. Yes, I’m sure. It’s late. Let’s go to bed. We’ll talk in the morning.”
***
The End